


Quiet Night In

by Neon_Zephyr



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 22:00:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5022088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Zephyr/pseuds/Neon_Zephyr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinner-related Kannao fluff</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet Night In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KrisRix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KrisRix/gifts).



> As noted by AO3 up there, this is a gift for KrisRix, who has been a fantastic friend (and is a wonderful writer and artist, and a fellow Kannao fan, if you aren't familiar with their work yet).

Kanji tried to steady his hand, but no matter what he did, a small tremble still issued forth from his wrist down to his fingers.

The frying pan shook gently with each quiver, which would not normally be too much of a worry, if it weren’t for the fact that the pan currently contained a sizeable layer of cooking oil.

“H-hey!” Kanji stammered slightly. He attempted to glance to his side, but felt as if some force was pulling his gaze forward. It wasn’t the stovetop that was heating his cheeks. “Is…i-is that r-ready ta fry?”

“Nearly so,” he heard Naoto’s voice from behind him. Kanji’s entire face grew warmer. “Would you like me to bring the cutlets to you now?”

If Kanji didn’t know better—and couldn’t catch the slight tension in her words like he was able to—he would be amazed at how she was able to remain so calm.

Hell, scratch that, he was amazed at how she was able to be even _this_ calm. He was about ready to leap out of his skin.

Naoto walked up next to him, placing the plate with the breaded pork chops on the counter nearest the stovetop. They glanced at each other, before looking back at their respective part in the recipe.

They hadn’t been official for very long. A little over a week. And, if they were totally honest, neither of them were really certain what to do with the information of their mutual attraction to one another.

Naoto had mentioned that it was logical that, given the mutual state of things, they should at least attempt to, as she put it, progress things along the path such feelings would suggest. Kanji had nearly passed out at that.

Not that either of them really had much of an idea of how to progress through a romantic relationship.

Naoto cleared her throat slightly, bringing Kanji back to the present.

“Are you… quite all right?” She asked softly. “You are shaking the skillet.”

“Y-yeah!” Kanji barked loudly. “I-I’m… I’m just… helpin’ the oil ta get hot faster, th-that’s all! Yeah!”

Naoto was quiet for a long moment, though Kanji didn’t dare to look back at her this time. He stared at the pan of oil, trying to will his hand to be still again.

“If… you are certain. I do not wish for you to injure yourself. Hot oil is… particularly damaging.”

Kanji nodded his head once, suddenly unable to speak.

“Would you… like the cutlets now?”

He nodded again.

She lifted the plate just into his view. Using the tongs, Kanji carefully took each of the breaded cutlets and lowered them into the oil. Even as the oil bubbled and reacted, he managed to steady his grip on the handle enough to keep it from splashing all over him.

Once all three pieces of pork were frying in the skillet, the plate—and Naoto—vanished from his peripherals. He knew that she was likely just going to make sure that the rice was ready and preparing their bowls and the lettuce on the plates.

They’d originally planned on this date— _wow,_ Kanji noted to himself for the umpteenth time, _this is really happenin’!—_ to have involved a different source for dinner. They’d agreed to keep things low pressure for now, as well as out of the public eye and away from their friends; there was still too much they were both figuring out to drag them into it, too. But, today’s plan had been to simply meet up after school at his place and finish up some homework before having a light dinner together and maybe watching some TV or a movie together. His ma had to watch the store until late this time, so she was around enough that she was comfortable with the idea, but not hovering over them. But, then, his ma seemed to understand how nervous they both were, and didn’t seem to pry much at all.

They had originally planned on going to Aiya’s for dinner, though they hadn’t decided on whether they would have eaten in or gotten their food to go. That was, until they’d noticed a familiar pair walking into the very same restaurant together just before they could leave the safety of the textile shop. Chie and Yukiko would have been acceptable; they would have at least kept quiet about it and understood. They probably wouldn’t have even teased them—much. Yosuke certainly would have teased them in person, but he wouldn’t have spread it around. Naoki would have been ideal—aside from Kanji’s ma, he was the only one who knew about _them_.

But Rise? While she wouldn’t exactly have shouted it to the world, her teasing of the both of them would have caught the Team’s attention. Not to mention, she might become a little too obsessed with the idea. It was a bit silly, perhaps, the idea of a third party making them feel suffocated in their relationship. But….

So, they’d agreed to eat in tonight. Kanji suggested a quick, easy meal, and Naoto had set the rice cooker almost immediately upon returning to the kitchen.

And now, Kanji pulled the fried pork cutlets out of the skillet and onto the plate to drain the excess oil. He glanced back at Naoto for a moment. She was setting the last bit of lettuce on one of their plates. She glanced back at him, eyes widening slightly when she realized he was looking at her, too. Her face tinted to a light shade of pink, and she gave him a small smile.

Kanji’s heart beat a little faster, and he felt his face grow even hotter, somehow, but he couldn’t resist giving her a crooked smile of his own back. Feeling a little better, now, he turned back to the plate of pork, cutting the cutlets before carrying the plate over to the ones waiting for them. He placed the strips of breaded meat on each of their plates—his with a little more than hers, as per their appetites, something she’d suggested herself—before drizzling a small amount of sauce on each.

They each picked up their own plate and rice bowl and carried it to the dining table. Kanji’s heart skipped a beat when she placed hers down at the seat next to his. Not across the table or diagonal. But right next to him.

 _This is_ really _happenin’ ta us! With us. Us._ The words in Kanji’s head began to jumble a bit.

He sat down, looking out the window for a long moment, before turning back at Naoto. She was sitting next to him. Naoto Shirogane. Was sitting next to him. In his kitchen. On a date.

How did this happen?

He considered pricking at his hand with a knife or something, to make sure that this wasn’t just a dream.

Instead, he chose to open his mouth.

“’S rainin’,” he said quietly.

 _Real smooth, Tatsumi,_ he chastised himself lightly.

“That it is.” Naoto didn’t seem to mind, her smile a little larger this time.

Then, she looked at his hand, resting on the table. She hesitated, before placing her own on top of it.

Kanji felt as if his heart were about to leap out his throat. He stared at her. When she looked back up at him, however, his heart and nerves slowed and evened out. There was something… calming about this touch. He didn’t want it to leave. And, judging by how she didn’t pull or look away, even after a long moment, she didn’t seem to either.

The food already growing cold before them, Kanji wondered how easy it would be to teach himself how to use chopsticks with his left hand instead.


End file.
